Call for Black police officers to boycott ‘Stop and search’

Lee Jasper former Policing Director for London will call for Black officers to boycott the use of racial profiling in the discriminatory use of abusive stop and search powers. He also will call on National Black Police Association- NBPA- to lead the fight against racism in the British judicial processes.

In the last 5 years relations with Black and Muslim communities and the police have sunk to the lowest point since the 1970’s. There are now more black officers leaving the police service than are joining. When black officers complain of racism, far too often they face disciplinary witch-hunts.

They are hugely overrepresented in disciplinary proceeding and much more likely to be subject of covert police surveillance. They are routinely denied promotion when compared with their white colleagues and 50% of those who do join subsequently leave within 2-5yrs.

On the issue of increasing diversity in the police service, we are literally going backwards. Stop and Search rates are rising year on year and 75% of young black men are on the police DNA database. If you’re black you are twice as likely to be charged for a first time crime offence and less likely to receive a caution. The acute level of concern about the propensity of black men who die in police custody in suspicious circumstances continues to rise. Complaints of racism against officer are on the rise.

The advent of Police Commissioners is eroding police accountability and there are moves afoot to abolish Community Police Consultative Groups established to improve relations as a result of the 1981 Lord Scarman Inquiry recommendations.

Racism with the criminal justice system is on the rise with black defendants receiving ever-longer sentences when compared to white defendants. Since August 2011, we have seen massive increases in the black prison population.

Justice in Britain is a colour-coded principle where black people as suspects, witness or victims face a system that routinely discriminates. NBPA is best placed to seek to facilitate national discussions among criminal justice organisations about how we end the scandal of a justice system that penalises black people simply for being black.

That’s why I am calling on the NBPA to consider backing a boycott of black officers and refuse to undertake stop and searches that are driven by racial profiling and performance targets and to organise the fight back against the stench judicial racism.

The Government, Association of Chief Police Officers, the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office all need a 10,000-volt political shock in a serious attempt shake them out of their complacency and reset the Governments commitment to race equality.

We need to reinstitute and reinforce the recommendations McPherson made. Fifty years after King's iconic speech real race equality remains a dream in the UK. It is time to embark on a radical campaign for justice.

Lee Jasper

Lee Jasper will shortly be announcing plans for national celebration dedicating next year 2013 to celebrating the 50 years since Dr Martin Luther Kings iconic “ I have a dream speech” (MLK.50)